The present invention is directed generally to an accessory that customizes a standard smart card connector configuration. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a removably attachable lead-in accessory for a smart card connector that enables inexpensive customization of a smart card connector while maintaining a linear card insertion path.
The electronic industry has seen growth in the use of flat plastic cards incorporating computer chips therein. These chip or IC cards are also commonly referred as to as xe2x80x9csmart cardsxe2x80x9d. A smart card is a card incorporating at least one electronic component to which electrical connection must be made. These cards include contact pads so as to allow electrical connection to the electronic component on the card. Smart cards are commonly used in various consumer-oriented machines such as telephones, bank machines, vending machines, mobile phones and electronics and the like. In this disclosure, the terms xe2x80x9cIC cardxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cchip cardxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csmart cardxe2x80x9d will be used interchangeably.
The art has seen numerous electrical connectors specifically designed for use in removably connecting various types of smart cards. Such connectors generally provide a housing supporting a plurality of electrical contacts that terminate with a printed circuit board (PCB) supporting the connector thereon. Although such connectors effectively establish electrical contact between an IC card and a PCB, the use thereof may not be desirable in configurations where conservation of materials and space is essential. In situations where a smart card application must be customized to meet the particular demands of the desired application, it may be necessary to modify the connector to accommodate multiple cards or to optimize PCB real estate so as to accommodate additional components thereon (i.e. such as by placing the connector at a rearwardmost portion of the PCB relative to the point of card entry). In such situations, it becomes difficult to maintain the simplicity of the connector and the integrity of the card insertion path.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a device that enables customization of standard smart card connectors so as to enable placement of the connector at a significant distance relative to a point of card entry. It is further desirable to provide such a device that is inexpensively manufactured and which is removably detachable so as to be transported among several smart card connectors without affecting the configuration or operation of the connector itself.
It is an object of the present invention to easily and inexpensively customize a standard manufacture smart card connector.
It is another object of the present invention to extend a face of a smart card connector so as to enable placement of the connector at a rearmost portion of a printed circuit board relative to the point of card entry. This is accomplished by providing additional lead-in for a card while maintaining the integrity of the card insertion path.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an independent, removably attachable accessory for a smart card connector that is readily transportable and sufficiently complements the modularity of a stacked smart card connector configuration.
In the efficient attainment of these and other objectives, the present invention provides a lead-in accessory for a smart card connector that is particularly adapted for a stacked smart card connector configuration. The lead in accessory includes a substantially rectangular housing defined by a front surface, a rear surface and a peripheral side wall extending therebetween. The front surface defines a primary orifice therein having peripheral dimensions corresponding to those of a corresponding space in the smart card connector. This space may be reserved for placement of additional component. The front surface desirably includes at least one card insertion ingress that extends from the front surface to the rear surface of the housing. The card insertion ingress corresponds to a card insertion recess defined in the smart card connector, thereby preserving the integrity of the card insertion path from the front surface of the accessory to the rearmost surface of the smart card connector. A pair of opposing snap tabs also protrude normally from the rear surface of the housing wherein the tabs are desirably equilinearly disposed from one another at a distance corresponding to an inner wall of a smart card connector into which the accessory is to be inserted. Each tab includes a catch at a free extent thereof which establishes mechanical engagement with a corresponding recess in the smart card connector.
In a particular aspect of the invention, a lead-in accessory for a stacked smart card reader comprises an insulative housing including a front surface, a back surface and sidewalls extending therebetween. The accessory housing has at least one card insertion ingress in the housing extending through the front surface and the back surface. The accessory includes an attachment member for removable attachment of the accessory to the smart card reader in such a manner that the card insertion ingress is substantially linearly aligned with a card receiving slot in the card reader, to thereby effectively extend outwardly a card receiving face of the smart card reader.